Benefits of biking to work promoted at Valparaiso event
Joshua Sutton, a member of the Valparaiso Pathways committee, said he bikes the three miles to his job about every day, regardless of the weather.
“Once you get through one week of biking to work in any season, you can do it,” Sutton said, adding his journey is due east from where he lives and, given traffic and other factors, the route is a bit faster by bike.
He joined other members of the pathways committee at Central Park Plaza to extol the benefits of biking to work in an event that culminated the city’s celebration of National Bike to Work Week, sponsored by the pathways committee and the parks department.
He noted the obvious health benefits and the advantages for businesses, too, and said employees show up more energized, and the mode of transportation can cut health care costs for employers.
Even winter weather doesn’t slow Sutton down. He said the city and the Valparaiso Parks Department do a good job of clearing the city’s bike routes.
“That’s often cleared before the city streets. It makes a huge difference,” he said, adding that as is the case with winter sports like snow shoeing and skiing, it’s also a matter of wearing the right clothing.
Sutton, who works at Buck’s Bicycle Shop, and Leo Frey, owner of Leo’s Mobile Bicycle Service, were on hand to offer bike checks. Visitors to the park also could check out one of the city’s Valpo Velocity bike share bicycles.
The goal of Friday’s event, Sutton said, was to support people biking to work with free coffee and donuts, and offer more information about the biking opportunities in the city, including Valpo Velocity.
“We’re just trying to get out in the community more and be more visible, especially with our Valpo Velocity program,” said Kevin Nuppnau, business operations director for the parks department.
Officials said the city has 25 bicycles and one adult bicycle in the program now, with plans to add 10 more bikes, on Cumberland Crossing near the Valparaiso Family YMCA and at Foundation Meadows on Campbell Street, in the next month or so. The program started in April 2017.
“The community has made the ability to ride your bike more available,” said Frey, who maintains the bikes in the Valpo Velocity program.
Bike riding is becoming a normal form of transportation for many people, said Chuck Ventura, another member of the pathways committee, adding to greater visibility.
“The more of us that are out there, it makes it safer for the rest of us,” he said.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
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